McPherson’s third ever Camrielle model—and this beauty sings. The slimmer proportions of this 2011 CMG 4.0 makes for added punch and clarity; bundle that into the richness and colorful response of Engelmann Spruce over Madagascar Rosewood—the result is smooth, rich definition from bottom to top. Curly Maple bindings set off the Rosewood-Spruce, and also ring in the offset McPherson soundhole for flair. The Rosewood bridge lines up perfectly with the Rosewood fingerboard and headplate veneer, itself capped with the McPherson logo and gold Waverly tuners. The V neck, with a 25.5” scale and 1 3/4” nut, plays very easily—and we had a blast tuning this one down to DADGAD. It even held up well in C#. Plug in with the L.R. Baggs Element pickup system for all of that in an amplified setting.
Hands down, this 2011 McPherson Camrielle is an exquisite example of McPherson’s contributions to modern lutherie: articulate, responsive, eminently playable.

Other keywords: 1941, fingerstyle, maddie, ameritage, cmg-4.0, cmg4.0

We’ve landed a lovely McPherson MG 4.5XP from 2007 that’s been played in and is singing with a wide awake voice today. And it’s got a lot to sing about! Dramatic, figured Brazilian Rosewood body with Adirondack Spruce on top, Figured Koa bindings throughout; plus McPherson’s XP oversized soundhole and easy playing setup. The L.R. Baggs pickup system, complete with volume control at the soundhole, sounds fantastic, and will carry you faithfully on to the stage. This one holds up very well in a group setting as well—with McPherson’s second biggest body size, this MG 4.5XP has a lot of power under the hood, waiting to be let out.

Other keywords: macpherson, offset soundhole, schaller, m.g. 4.5., 1027, brazilain, adriondack, ameritage

Firecrackers come in red! This 2019 McPherson MG-4.5 is a real livewire with Ebony back and sides and Redwood on top; warmth wrapped around a clean, crisp core. We love this one for just about everything, fingerstyle, flatpicking, strumming—it adapted well for every genre we threw at it. Plus it’s got an L.R. Baggs RTS II pickup to carry you right on to the stage. This beauty is like new from 2019, and is more than ready to get down to the business of making music!

Other keywords: flatpicking, ameritage case, baggs pickup, offset soundhole, schaller, m.g.-4.5

Tight-waisted and crisp-talking as a new dollar bill; we love this 2015 McPherson Camrielle. Pau Rosa back and sides, super straight grained with a little bit of sapwood for drama, and a Redwood top for added warmth. Configured with the slim dimensions of the CMG-4.5, these woods come together for a clean, focused sound that accentuates individual note definition across the strings.
The L.R. Baggs RTS II pickup is a killer addition for when you head up on stage, and the included volume knob inside the soundhole keeps things easy as breathing. That’s what we keep coming back to with this McPherson: it’s such an easy player. It responds well to both picks and fingers, and it handles hybrid picking well, thanks to that added definition in the upper mids and trebles. Comes wrapped up in a custom Hoffee flight case.

Other keywords: lutherie, fingerstyle, florentine cutaway, waverly

We’ve seen many McPhersons over the years, but this MG-5.0XP in Koa and Port Orford Cedar is one of the most balanced we’ve played, and it’s gorgeous to boot with impressive projection and playability. Good Koa is hard to come by these days, but the set that makes up the back and sides of this guitar is some primo grade stuff: tight flame across the grain, a mix of darker clays and faint umbers, and a lovely spread of chatoyance when turned in the light. The deceptively-colored Port Orford Cedar top lends a warmth and softness to the crunchy clarity of the Koa, rounding out the voice and giving the bass an extra spike of juicy overtones.

The 5.0 is their largest body, and that makes for an extra loud instrument; great projection with even a light touch. It’s not often that a guitar really excels in both flatpicked and fingerstyle arenas, but this 2008 McPherson MG-5.0XP manages it quite handsomely (in more ways than one). Moreover, this beauty has opened up sweetly over the years but is still in superb condition. The classic McPherson V neck, 25.5” scale, and L.R. Baggs RTS II pickup come together for the complete package, wrapped up in a custom fit Ameritage case. Hats off to the folks at McPherson for this one!

One word to tie together this McPherson’s tone, looks, and playability: smooth. The voice speaks of velvet (thanks to the combination of Port Orford Cedar and Madagascar Rosewood), the neck profile and string tension are gossamer, and the luster of the finish and the svelte curves from waist to headstock are likewise silk.

Our 2011 McPherson MG-4.0XP has been very well-cared for, but has opened up nicely. The voice offers a great balance between overtones and a crisp fundamental. Plugged in, all that translates faithfully onstage with an L.R. Baggs RTS-II pickup (with an added volume knob mounted inside the soundhole). And to seal the deal, this beauty comes wrapped up in a snug-fitting Ameritage hardshell case straight with McPherson’s label on the side.

This 2008 McPherson MG-4.5 sounds great, even when it’s just sitting in its Ameritage case. The folks at McPherson Guitars paired a pretty Ziricote set for the back and sides with a Redwood top, one of our favorite fingerstyle-friendly materials. The result is a voice whose middle register is warm to the touch, but both the bass and treble strings are crisp and present, making this well-balanced for fingerpicked arrangements where you need extra articulation between the strings.

The slim, soft V neck allows for fast and easy fretting, and the cutaway & elevated fingerboard make for easy playability in all the registers! While this guitar is voiced for fingerstyle, we found it responded wonderfully to flatpicks as well, where the projection could really be cranked up a notch or two.

Here we have a McPherson 4.0XP, featuring an incredibly figured set of Bubinga back and sides and a straight-grained Redwood top. The flamed Koa binding perfectly offsets the top and back, making it a real eye-catcher. Its rich bass and balanced, reactive trebles give this instrument a great energy and tone. It boasts a strong, robust voice, projecting powerfully, yet smoothly, whether picked or strummed. And with the added sloped cutaway you have full fingerboard access to the upper register!